Cable clamps



June 28, 1960 H B MCHORSE CABLE CLAMPS Filed May 19, 1954 mmvroa.

H B; MC HORSE United States Patent '0 I v CABLE CLAMPS H McHorse, 600 Oak St., S ilverton, Oreg.

Filed May 19, 1954, Ser; No. 430,883

5 Claims. (Cl. 24-135) The present invention is particularly concerned with dead-ending clamps forclamping the ends of charged electric conductors of high tension lines. 1

Clamps now used forthis specific purpose are commonly of such a design that ends of the charged conductor are required to be threaded between parts while applying the same to clamps. This is a diflicult operation, requiring the use of hot sticks. With the present new and improved clamp, the conductor can be wrapped around a groove formed in the clamp beneath the clamping device by a simple arcuate movement. Thereafter, an insulated socket wrench may be used for tightening the clamp and securing the cable.

It is therefore, among the primary objects'of the invention to provide a clamp by which a cable may be secured without the necessity of threading the same endwise through any openings, and in which the cable may be wrapped around the body of the clamp, bringing the samein place beneath a clamping piece which may then be tightened to secure the cable.

Another object is to provide a device of the character described, particularly designed for use with high tension cables and one which lends itself readily to manipulation of itself and the cable by hot sticks or equivalent insulated tools.

The novel features that are-considered characteristic 'ice the conductor and the clamp tending to prevent movement of the conductor. a j

A clamping bar has its inner end 11 removably seated within a socket 12 formed within the body portion 13 of the main body of the clamp. Formed on the opposite 'end ofthe clamping bar lets a shoe 14 having a groove 15 formed in its lower side or bottom adapted to fit over the conductor 8 directly above the recess 9 of the-base of the invention are set forthwith particularity in the ap- Y pended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts through the several figures and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of one form of the new and improved clamp in use with a conductor cable, showing the manner of use in tightening such cables with a block and tackle;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the clamp, 7

parts broken away for convenience of illustration;

Figure '3 is a detail sectional view, taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2; V

Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view, taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an elevational view similar to Figure 4, illustrating the clamping bar released allowing the entry of the flange 5 extending outwardly from base 1. The bottom of the trough is raised at 6 and 7, referring particularly to Figure 4, on which the conductor 8 rests.

The recess 9 between the points 6 and 7 is somewhat lower than the points 6 and 7, which places a kink m 1 of the clamp. A groove 15A of a larger diameter is located on the oppositeside of the shoe adapted to fit over a larger conductor on inverting the shoe, and clamping bar 10, as illustrated in Figure 3. A spring 19 rests on the surface 30 of the base 1 and under the clamping bar 10. This spring tends to raise the bar and shoe as illustrated in Figures 3 and 6 when the nut 21 is backed off.

In use, as indicated in 1, the clamp is connected to a suspending insulator 22 by way of the usual connection 23. The insulator 2% is secured to the cross arm 24 of a pole (not shown), by the usual connection 25. A block and tackle 26, shown in dot dash lines in Fig. 1, is shown as engaging a come-along grip 27 in the stretching of the conductor 8. The hook 28 of the block and tackle entering the opening 29 of my dead-ending clamp.

In applying a hot or charged conductor to the clamp, the block and tackle stretches the wire 8 towards the clamp. The end 8A of the conductor is then gripped by a hot stick and wrapped around the trough 2 of the clamp in the direction of the arrow and threaded between the shoe 14 and portions 6 and 7, and recess 9. A hot stick socket wrench is then employed for tightening the nut 21 against the hold down bar 10, forcing the shoe 14 against the conductor, forcing the same down in the recess 9. Recess 9 and the high points 6 and 7 prevent the conductor from sliding through after the groove15 of the shoe 14 has been forced down against the conductor by the nut 21 on the bolt 16. The block and tackle unit 26 can then be removed, together with the come-along 27, from the conductor.

Although a certain specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is obvious that many modifications thereof are possible. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except in so far as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A cable clamp comprising a generally flat base including an extension having means whereby the clamp may be attached to a support, the base having an unobstructed trough extending therearound, the trough including a major portion which opens radially outwardly of the base in a plane substantially parallel thereto and a minor portion which opens in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the base, and a clamping bar having one end pivotally mounted within the periphery of the trough, the other end being free, said bar having a portion at the free end thereof adapted to engage a cable which may be placed in said minor portion, and said bar and base having fastening means whereby a cable may be wound about the clamp in the major and the minor portions of the trough while said clamp is anchored to a support and the cable engaging portion of the clamping bar may engage the portion of the cable in the minor portion of the trough under the influence of the fastening means.

r 2. A cable clamp according to claim 1 wherein said base has a relatively large opening formed therethrough and within the confines of the base portion forming said trough, a reinforcing bar dividing said opening into two clamping bar being .lpivotally. mounted to said reinforcing bar.

3. A cable clamp according to claim 1 wherein said fastening means includes spring means acting against said base and .biasingsaid clanping bar; away fromithe base to enable ready insertion of a cableintmsaiditmugh -be 'tweensaid base and'clamping'bar as'the cableis wrapped around said trough.

4. A cable clampaccording 10.01am; wherein said minor trough portion is-disposedin'said base-substantially 4 diametrically opposite said extension.

5. A cable clamp-according-to claim 1 wherein said base has a relatively large opening formed theret-hrough 'mounted endof said clamping bar being nested in said and within the confines'of the baseportion forming said;

socket with said clamping bar extending longitudinally of said reinforcing bar and said fastening means therebetween and intermediate,the ends thereof, and said fastening means including spring means acting against said reinforcing bar and biasing the cable engaging portion on the free end of said clamping bar away from said minor trough portion to enable ready insertion of the cable therebetween as the cable is wrapped around the trough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES. PATENTS 882,408 "Mullin' Mar. 17, 1908 1,485,751 Worthington Mar. 4, 1924 2,031,203 Bovard Feb. 18, 1936 2,031,236 Taylor Feb. 18, 1936 2,059,413 Taylor Nov. 3, 1936 2,439,623 Howells Apr. 13,1948 2,471,305 Card May M, 1949 2,471 ,306 1949 Card May 24, 

